I have spent two years without a trainer. I have lost 90 of my approximately 150 pounds without a trainer. The thing is that I have developed awful right knee and I.T. band problems.

I do:
jogging cardio & hill cardio
elliptical
crunches
leg lifts
planks
strength training
biking (low resistance due to my knees)
I used to try my hand at power/dead lifting but abandoned that after my injuries.

I stretch before and after I exercise and now wear orthopedic insoles in addition to new shoes.

A trainer said that he could help me with knee issue, and get me better results, but I am not sure whether that is just something to line his pockets.

I want to know:

how many of you have trainers?
Do you think your trainers helped with meeting your goals more efficiently?


thanks,
harsdottir

I had a trainer. He was motivational and taught some things initially, but after about four months, I felt like he'd taught me enough. I could do BETTER with him, but I'm doing just fine on my own.

On the bike, is your seat high enough? I'm amazed at how high I have my seat. It almost matches the tall men in my spin class! But I have to have it that high to avoid knee pain. Knee pain on the bike is not normal.

My trainer has definitely helped me, but I go to a Crossfit gym, so I have a trainer for every workout, not just once a week, and the training is really detailed and complete as far as learning to lift/move correctly. Just learning proper form for squats, lunges, etc eliminated my knee pain...turns out I was just doing it wrong and that's why my knees hurt, not because lunges or squats are bad. I've definitely gotten WAY better results with my trainer. I'd trained for a year on my own, but when I joined my gym, my results just went through the roof. Whether the guy you met is a good trainer or worth the money, I have no way of knowing, but for me, joining the crossfit gym and having a trainer for every workout has definitely been worth it.

IMHO, you have lost 90 lbs on your own...that's AMAZING!!!! Actually, I think that kinda answers your own question....and btw CONGRATS, you should be proud!!!

Ok...on another note...I've used a personal trainer in the past, and yes, he helped me to get "fitness competition" ready pushing me with supersets, and the like...but I was already "fit" and trim at the time.

Do I think you need a trainer...no. The only thing that will be made "lighter" is your pockets. Weight is 90% diet...so as long as you count your calories carefully, you will lose weight without exercise. Cardio and strength training will help you tone, strengthen and increase heart health, but do very little for weight loss....it's mostly diet.

That said...if you are starting to lack motivation and think you need that little extra boost of a PT, then absolutely GO FOR IT!!! Whatever it takes to get to your goal.

I think if you are having pain, a physical therapist is a better bet than a trainer.

I am going to look into physio therapy. I am thinking the same thing as you, but I really want to focus on weight loss. I don't have a lot of extra time with my workouts and jobs.

Thanks,

I believe you are right. My thing is, I do need to exercise because my appetite is too high to be able to live on the kind of slashing of calories I would need to slash to lose weight without exercise.

I am just tired of exercising in pain.

Let me ask you. From your picture are you a guy?

The reason I ask that is because I know men can build more lean muscle mass, that will burn fat and that is why they lose weight so well with strength training. I know personal trainers usually focus on strenth training because cardio is mainly something you do on your own.
I am wondering if the lean mass building/ weight loss effects are the same for a woman who decides to up her strength training.

Physical therapist, physical therapist, physical therapist!

I've used both personal trainers and physical therapists in this journey. A trainer is most likely not going to have as much experience working with physical issues as a physical therapist. They will help you learn techniques so that you can exercise without pain, so it ultimately WILL help with weight loss. IMO, a personal trainer is there to help you if you don't know form/methods of exercise and need guidance in making a program for yourself (I used mine when I needed guidance on strength training, when I really didn't know what I was doing), and a physical therapist is better able to help you make a program to repair and work around mechanical problems (for me, after knee surgery, and during some ongoing shoulder issues).

My physical therapist helped me develop a program and tweak my form to allow me to continue exercising despite my physical issues, and also to help me heal/improve those physical issues.

By the way, on the tight IT band, get a foam roller. Seriously - life changing for me, when I had IT band issues that were aggravating my knees. And who told me about the foam roller? A physical therapist.